A petition calling for an urgent review of new dog access rules affecting the Lake Weyba foreshore has been formally tabled at council.
The petition was presented during the Sunshine Coast Council’s May 21 ordinary meeting and relates to amendments to Subordinate Local Law No.1 (Animal Management) 2026 concerning access arrangements at the Lake Weyba foreshore.
The council submission follows a community campaign launched on the online platform Change.org by Lake Weyba resident Daniel Waters, who claims locals were not adequately informed about changes affecting on-leash dog access around the foreshore.
According to the petition, which has more than 1200 signatures, residents are calling for “transparent consultation” and the preservation of on-leash access around the lake. It argues the changes have had a significant impact on locals who regularly use foreshore trails and access points with their dogs.
Mr Waters said many residents only became aware of the changes after the amendments had already been adopted.
“We were never properly consulted,” he wrote in the petition campaign. He said residents wanted “fair and balanced access” to the area while still protecting environmental values.
A Sunshine Coast Council spokesperson said the Dog Exercise Area Regional Plan and Network Blueprint “outlined a region-wide approach to managing dog exercise areas across beaches, parks, sports fields, dog parks and environmentally sensitive areas”.
“Council consulted the community between February 4 and March 7 2025. It held 18 pop-up sessions across the region and nine focus group workshops with 55 representatives from key associations, including First Nations representatives, veterinarians, disability, dog education, and beach and environmental groups. More than 2,300 people completed the survey,” the spokesperson said.
“The plan balances dog exercise opportunities with safety, shared use and protecting sensitive places, while planning for a growing dog population across the Sunshine Coast.”
Do you have an opinion to share? Submit a Letter to the Editor at Sunshine Coast News via news@sunshinecoastnews.com.au. You must include your name and suburb.
The petition also includes comments from supporters concerned about losing recreational access around the lake.
One supporter wrote the foreshore had become part of their “daily routine and wellbeing”, while another argued responsible dog owners were being unfairly penalised despite already keeping pets under control.
The debate centres on changes adopted by council in April as part of updated animal management provisions covering several locations across the region.
Residents living near the lake, which sits between the Sunshine Coast and Noosa council areas, have argued the restrictions limit access to upgraded foreshore pathways and open space areas traditionally used for on-leash dog walking.
Council’s project information describes the Lake Weyba foreshore as an area intended to balance environmental values with recreational opportunities and community access.
